Bay Area's Storm Door Swings Open Again

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Batten the hatches Bay Area, we are in for a bumpy ride when it comes to weather.

First comes a real chance for snow around the hilltops and inland valleys and bone-chilling cold temperatures.

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The Monday morning commute will be challenging with locations like Hwy 17 expected to see a snow/rain mix at times into the afternoon. Snow levels are expected in the near 500 ft. range in the North Bay and closer to 1,500 near San Jose south. Heavier showers may dump snow at times even to sea-level, especially if we manage some convective (think thunderstorms) showers during the day that could yield 'thundersnow'.

Most of the precipitation whether frozen or wet should begin winding down by the evening commute except in the Santa Cruz mountains where lingering flurries are likely. Skies should clear Monday night and if the winds ease off enough, a hard freeze is expected with temps in the 20s and 30s starting off Tuesday morning (ouch!).

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Things are looking fairly dry from Tuesday until late Wednesday with frosty mornings and highs remaining in the 40s and 50s.

Along the coast, a westerly swell between 10 and 14 feet should arrive starting Tuesday, however Mavericks organizers decided to pass on this week's waves due to choppy winds and incoming rain later in the week.

There's a chance for heavier rain for late Thursday into Saturday. Timing is tough to call as the weather models are out of synch -- but tropical moisture is in play from former Typhoon Nida. That may pull another October storm event in terms of heavy rain and gusty wind potential.

The weather on Thursday could be interesting as well *if* cold air remains trapped near the surface and rain rides over the top of this chilled airmass, one more dose of low snow levels may hit the Bay Area before southerly winds and a more mild storm system scours out some of the Canadian air conditioning.

Bay Area agencies are ready for the storm and are handing out sandbags in places likely to be hit the hardest.

In San Francisco, city officials issued a flood risk alert Friday to warn residents and businesses in low-lying areas of the city about potential flooding from storms.

The alert was issued by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and the Department of Public Works in response to wet weather that is expected to strike the region Monday and stay for most of the week.

More than an inch of rain is expected along with winds of 20 to 40 mph in parts of the Bay Area, according to the National Weather Service.

Crews were deployed throughout the city to inspect and clean catch basins as a precautionary measure to try to prevent flooding in at-risk areas, according to city officials. Crews will also be on standby through the week to respond to potentially hazardous situations.

The city is urging residents to proactively position sandbags in necessary areas, and report any blocked or clogged storm drains or catch basins immediately.

The Department of Public Works is providing residents who have proof of residency with 10 free filled or unfilled sandbags at the department's operations yard, located at 2323 Cesar Chavez Blvd. The yard is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Residents are encouraged to call 311 for more information about the free sandbag program or to report clogged storm drains and catch basins, sewer backups, or other flooding emergencies.